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PlantUML – Textual UML diagrams in Word (or online, or in Eclipse…)
We already had PlantUML in our list of textual UML tools (i.e. tools that support the use of textual notations/languages to describe UML models and automatically display the corresponding graphical UML diagram).
However, this tool has been quite active lately so I thought it deserved a closer look. The tool supports the textual definition of class, activity, sequence and (new) component diagrams (see the language reference guide for details on the syntax. The attractiveness of the generated diagrams could be improved (e.g. those generated by yUML much fancier) but, to me, the strong point of this tool is the variety of scenarios in which can be used. You can:
- Generate .png files for your textual UML diagrams from the command line
- Use it as a web service to generate images on the fly (the service generates a URL that you can use in an img HTML tag to display the generated image in your web pages)
- Create UML models from your annotated java source code
- Document your java classes with a textual UML design model of that part of the code and visualize the corresponding graphical model within the Eclipse IDE itself
- Integrate and call this tool from your other tools
- or you can even use it to draw UML diagrams in Word. There is a Visual Basic Macro that parses the word document and replaces the PlantUML text with the corresponding images (see below)
We’ll keep informing OF new tool releases. Meanwhile, give it a try!
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I agree that it is nice to be able to use the same language in different environment (MS-Words, Eclipse, Web, Image …)
But I would not use it because :
– It isn’t linked TO the “real” code LIKE UMLGraph IS.
– The LANGUAGE has NO semantics: “() DataAccess – [First Component]“. It IS neither textual nor graphical.
PlantUML IS MORE UmlAsSketch tool than a UmlAsBlueprint tool.
You should NOT use it if your ARE looking FOR completeness.
Don’t get me wrong: “Real” code link (like UMLGraph) is great, but that’s NOT the goal OF PlantUML.
The LANGUAGE tries TO be graphical/asciiart.
() DataAccess - [FIRST Component]looks LIKE the generated image (well sort off).
The
()stands FOR the interface circle, the dash-IS the link, AND the[AND]looks LIKE a component box.Sure, it’s not perfect, but improvement are in progress.
I may allow a more “textual” language like:
interface DataAcess
component FirstComponent
DataAccess -- FirstComponent
Do you think it’s better ?